About Us

Welcome to BREAGettingFit! This is a place for people to be empowered, informed and balanced. Life can feel a lot like a battlefield, which is why we’d like to make it a little more peaceful. This blog was founded by a woman named Brea and her name makes such a lovely acronym

Balance – Restore – Energize – Align

Brea started this site to chronicle her weight loss and fitness journey with a totally holistic approach. Family is a central theme in her personal posts, where she shares stories and experiences with her husband and two boys. Juggling blogging, a family life and a professional career she is undoubtedly a master of something truly central to this project. That commitment to herself and her family has also led to her stepping back from the site, with a team of us picking up and carrying the banner. Balance.

Fit Body

Getting Fit on Your Own Time!

We’re striving to bring you the freshest in healthy, wholesome living so you can bring a whole new sense of balance into your daily life. Designed initially by a blogger and VA (Virtual Assistant). Here you can expect to find helpful, and trustworthy tid-bits on developing a professional career from home.

Natural Living Made Easy

Whether it’s organizing your home, re-evaluating your workout routine or making some diet changes, we’re all in this together! Each and every step, big or small, is one step closer to natural living. This is the only life we’ve got, so let’s live it! 

If practicing good self care, raising an active and frugal family all while moving closer to a healthy state of being is in your list. We’re here! Join us on this journey to see where we’re headed next.

natural living keto recipe

All Natural Lifestyle

We’ve produced vegan, vegetarian, paleo, keto, gluten-free, Whole30 and many more different types of recipes for a healthier plate. Making things easy and super approachable is what we’re all about, and who said you weren’t allowed to have fun doing it? Follow us for your next favorite InstantPot recipe, or natural lifestyle tips that will completely change the way you live! 

We live and breathe DIY. Recipes, tips, tricks and plenty of exciting instructions on how to make your life just a little less commercial, and a little more you. If you do need to go out and look for something new, we pride ourselves on providing trustworthy product recommendations so you can make well rounded and informed decisions. Healthy living ain’t easy, after all! That’s why we’d like to welcome you into our own little family.

BreaGettingFit  – it started as a web-diary to track my weight loss over 6 years ago. I honestly never thought anyone would read it. It was just to keep me accountable.

More About Brea, by Brea

The site started as a web-diary to track my weight loss over 6 years ago. I honestly never thought anyone would read it. It was just to keep me accountable.

And then things changed….

In 2013 I went through a health crisis. I would get up in the morning, get breakfast made for the three of us (this was before The Baby), and then go right back to bed. On top of debilitating exhaustion, I was gaining weight at an alarming rate…a total of more than 60 pounds in 2 months.

about BREA: BreaGettingFit  - it started as a web-diary to track my weight loss over 6 years ago.

Yet every doctor that I went to told me that I was “fine.” I asked each one to test my thyroid levels and my TSH levels came back normal. I was told I was fine, and that I should try to get outside more and get some exercise, because obviously that was the solution. Finally, one doctor got tired of hearing me complain and prescribed Synthroid. And I felt better within days.

Unfortunately, that didn’t last-I started to decline again, and when I talked to her I was once again told I was “normal.”

I got tired of hearing that my levels were normal and shelled out the money for a Naturopath. She ran every lab on the planet-or at least it seemed that way-and told me that while my TSH levels were normal, my thyroid and adrenals were barely functioning. 

I was devastated. The weight gain wasn’t going to just “go away” because my metabolism was virtually nonexistent. This put me in a bit of a (self-imposed) tight spot. In fact, I stopped blogging completely for about a year. I was embarrassed and really, really upset.

At my fittest, I was regularly running races (anything from 5K to 10K) and doing regular barre workouts. At my sickest, I was 230 pounds and could barely get off the couch.

about BREA: BreaGettingFit  - it started as a web-diary to track my weight loss over 6 years ago.

I needed change

I knew there had to be a better way. My Naturopath worked with me to help support my thyroid by getting off Synthroid and relying on very specific supplements. And then I got pregnant with The Baby. We couldn’t keep my thyroid levels stable, so she put me on a very low dose of Armor Thyroid in addition to my supplements. After my pregnancy, I needed the Armor to keep myself stable. The exhaustion was getting better, but I wasn’t my “old” self.

I decided that I would try Whole30, and my energy skyrocketed. After my 30 days, I decided to stay gluten and dairy free because the alternative just wasn’t worth it. I’m still working on healing, part of which included removing my IUD and getting on the AIP bandwagon.

Nowadays, BreaGettingFit is dedicated to all the women who are struggling with autoimmune issues-whether it’s Hashimotos, Thyroiditis, or Adrenal Fatigue (or a myriad of other issues), you are not alone. I’ve got your back.

about BREA: BreaGettingFit  - it started as a web-diary to track my weight loss over 6 years ago.I publish articles that will help you on your journey-from recipes to tips, to natural living.

I realized that this is the ONLY life I have…the only body I have…

We all need to treat ourselves and our little slice of the world with respect and dignity.

As a result of being human, I am constantly learning that lesson.

CONSTANTLY.

Because of this, I’m slightly organic-obsessed, and use Essential Oils instead of over-the-counter medications and toxic chemicals whenever possible. I’m also a HUGE fan of cleansing and I love helping my health coaching clients reach their happy!

I could literally talk about how I’ve increased my energy and lost weight even with autoimmune issues. If you want to keep up with things please subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you don’t miss anything!

Cast of Characters

This blog isn’t only about me-I am happily married with two young sons. Life with the boys certainly keeps me on my toes!

I am currently balancing working from home as a Virtual Assistant and Project Manager, motherhood, and a myriad of other things as they appear on my plate – which is always, always full. But that’s what makes life interesting, right?

Did I mention that I live with all boys? Even the cat’s male. *le sigh*

about BREA: BreaGettingFit  - Smalls & Screetch

You’ve heard the phrase “You’re KILLING ME, Smalls?” (yes? If you haven’t, stop right here, and go buy The Sandlot. You’re welcome.).

I call my oldest Smalls. He’s a precocious first grader who is fighting a life-threatening illness called Severe Aplastic Anemia. You can keep up with him HERE.

The hubby, Ish, and I have known each other since…wait for it…high school. In fact, we’ve been friends for, well, forever. I adore him. He’s my sanity and the love of my life. And he puts up with me. That should tell you everything you need to know.

The Baby (a.k.a. Screech) joined our family in 2014 amidst rather stormy waters, but thankfully he is the sweetest, most mellow kid you’ll ever meet.

And me? Well, I’m Brea. Nice to meet you.

I do my best to post my opinion, my thoughts, and helpful tips here. If you’d like to see me write about something, or want to contribute to my blog, please contact me!

6 Comments

  1. Shemirah Brachah on May 12, 2009 at 7:43 am

    Hi, breefawn,

    I just read your blurb about you after finding your dynamic and so promisingly delicious vegan tuna salad recipe (thanks for sharing!)

    I wanted to ask if we might feature you and your move towards veganism as one of our Meatout Mondays inspirations. If so, please just email back and let me know. Then, when we do feature you, we’ll also link to your site, if you like.

    Thanks and all the best to you!

    Shemirah

  2. Caitlin on June 3, 2009 at 4:25 pm

    Brea,

    I read your blog everyday and love it!

    Keep up the good work.

    Best.
    Caitlin

  3. Petra on June 18, 2009 at 5:13 pm

    Hi Brea,

    I just LOVE your website. THANKS for all your support you have always given me and for your friendship.

    Looking forward to reading your blogs and check out your website frequently.

    Keep it up, YOU ARE GREAT!!

    Hugs,
    Petra

  4. Tracy on January 10, 2010 at 11:32 am

    I’m so glad I came across your blog! Your story is so similar to mine. My highest weight was 185 and then my fiance and I came across the book Eat to Live last summer and started eating mainly plant-based foods for 1.5 months and started working out. We each dropped 30 pounds from our highest and just recently decided it was about time to drop the rest! This time we’re focusing more on a long-lasting healthy lifestyle and aren’t as concerned with how fast the weight comes off. We started Couch to 5K this week and are going vegetarian for a 10 week challenge. So far, we are loving it! And like you, if we don’t get ourselves up at 5AM to run, it’s very difficult for us to get up and do it. Can’t wait to keep reading more! 🙂

  5. Tracy Effinger on May 7, 2013 at 10:49 pm

    Brea!
    I came across your blog and love it and had to say hello! I’m so glad you like SQUEEZE, especially since you are such a barre connoisseur! How fun! you seem like a very special, creative, and positive person! Keep up the excellent work!
    xo
    🙂 Tracy

    • breefawn on May 23, 2013 at 9:36 am

      Thank you!! LOOOOVE it 🙂



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